In the gloom of mighty cities'Mid the roar of whirling wheelsWe are toiling on like chattel slaves of oldAnd our masters hope to keep usEver thus beneath their heelsAnd to coin our very lifeblood into gold

But we have a glowing dream Of how fair the world would seem When each man can live his life secure and free When the earth is owned by Labor And there's joy and peace for all In the Commonwealth of Toil that is to be

They would keep us cowed and beatenCringing meekly at their feetThey would stand between each worker and his breadShall we yield our lives up to themFor the bitter crust we eat?Shall we only hope for heaven when we're dead?

They have laid our lives out for usTo the utter end of timeShall we stagger on beneath their heavy load?Shall we let them live foreverIn their gilded halls of crimeWith our children doomed to toil beneath their goad?

When our cause is all triumphantAnd we claim our Mother EarthAnd the nightmare of the present fades awayWe shall live with Love and LaughterWe, who now are little worthAnd we'll not regret the price we have to pay